SANTA MONICA – A man in his 20s was shot dead near Virginia Avenue Park in Santa Monica and one arrest was made, but detectives were still following up on leads today, authorities said.

“The investigation is ongoing,” said Sgt. Renaldi Thruston of the Santa Monica Police Department. “We don’t know if the person is the shooter or not. We don’t want people to think an arrest has been made and our investigation is closed.”

Several gunshots were heard at 8:52 p.m. Tuesday by a police officer on patrol near 21st Street and Pico Boulevard, said Santa Monica Police Lt. Mohamed Marhaba.

The officer saw two possible suspects run south across Pico into the immediate neighborhood, Marhaba said.

A Hispanic man in his 20s was discovered dead near 22nd Street and Virginia Avenue, according to police and a Los Angeles County coroner’s investigator. His name was withheld pending notification of his next of kin.

A perimeter was set up during the search for the suspect, but a description of the shooter was not immediately available.

Thruston asked that anyone with information on this shooting to contact the police at (310) 458-8495.